Castilleja foliolosa
woolly paintbrush
Overview
Castilleja foliolosa, woolly paintbrush, is a hemiparasitic perennial subshrub 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) tall, clothed throughout in dense white to gray woolly hairs. The narrow leaves are 0.4-1.5 inches (1-4 cm) long with inrolled margins, giving the whole plant a felted gray-green look. From late winter into early summer the stem tips are crowded with bright red to orange-red bracts; the true flowers are slender, greenish-yellow, and largely hidden among them. Like other paintbrushes, it draws part of its water and nutrients from the roots of neighboring shrubs through specialized attachments, so it rarely grows well on its own. It is native to California and Baja California, on dry rocky slopes, chaparral, and coastal scrub below about 4,000 feet (1,200 m). The plant tolerates heat, drought, and lean rocky soil, and feeds hummingbirds during its spring display, but it is short-lived and hard to cultivate or transplant because it needs a compatible host and very sharp drainage. Plants are intolerant of rich soil and summer water and are usually grown from seed sown alongside a host species rather than moved as established clumps.
Native Range
Castilleja foliolosa is native to California and northern Baja California, where it grows on dry, rocky slopes in chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and open woodland below about 4,000 feet (1,200 m). It is most frequent in the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills.Suggested Uses
Castilleja foliolosa is used in native plant gardens, rock gardens, and chaparral restoration where a host shrub is present. Its red-orange bracts draw hummingbirds in spring.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 2'
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Colors
Bloom Information
Colored bracts appear from February to June, peaking in spring, and hold their red-orange tone for several weeks. The narrow greenish flowers emerge from among the bracts over the same period. Bloom is briefer where the soil dries early.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
red to orange-red bracts, greenish flowersFoliage Description
gray-green, white-woollyGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow Castilleja foliolosa in full sun with very sharp drainage on rocky or sandy soil at a pH of about 6.0 to 7.5. It is a hemiparasite and establishes most reliably when sown near a compatible host shrub such as buckwheat or sagebrush, whose roots it taps for moisture and nutrients. The plant needs little to no summer water and is intolerant of rich soil, clay, and standing moisture. It does not transplant well, so seed sown in place is the usual method of propagation. Plants are short-lived and may need periodic reseeding to persist.Pruning
Little pruning is needed beyond removing spent flower stems after the bracts fade. The woolly foliage is left intact, since cutting into the woody base regrows poorly. Letting some seed mature helps the planting renew itself.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer